HEART OF GEORGIA ALTAMAHA
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

FACT SHEET

Description

The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Development Center (HGARDC) is one of sixteen regional development ceneters (RDCs) in Georgia. The HGARDC is the newest RDC in the state having been established July 1, 1996 with the merger of the old Heart of Georgia and the Altamaha Georgia Southern RDCs. Jurisdictionally, the HGARDC serves 68 local governments in a fifteen county area in south central and southeastern Georgia. Offices are located in Baxley and Eastman, Georgia.

Counties Served

Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Evans, Jeff Davis, Laurnes, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox Counties.

Population

The U.S. Census Bureau has recently estimated the region's 1997 population at 227,860, up from 212,703 in 1990. The region is a rural region with Laurens County, with a 1997 estimated population of 43,502, as the most populous county. Dublin, with an estimated population of 17,500, is the most populous city. the region's growth rate of 7.0 percent from 1990 to 1997 is less than half of Georgia's average, but is above the national average.

Geography and Economoy

The Heart of Georgial Alatamaha Region covers approximately 5,907 square miles of land area, or almost 10 percent of Georgia's total. The region contains some of Georgia's most important natural resources, including the Oconee, Ocumulgee, and altamaha rivers. The Altamaha River has been described by the Nature Conservancy as one of the 75 last great places on the earth. The region can be said to be georgia's pine timber basket with its high pine tree production, and is home to the world famous Vidalia Sweet Onion. While agriculture is still very important to the region's economy, they region has large concentrations of light manufacturing and government sector employment. Excellent transportation access to Georgia's ports and Atlanta is enjoyed by the region, and it is located centrally to the metropolitan areas of Macon and Savannah, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida.

Mission and Purpose

The HGARDC is a regional planning agency organized by state law under the control of its member governments. Its intent is to strengthen the individual and collective power of local governments by recognizing local and regional opportunities and matters of mutual concern; to help local governments resolve both local and regional problems, and make joint decisions; to develop means to assist local governments in the implementation of those decisions; and to carry out state mandated planning functions.

The RDC's purpose is defined in state law as: "to develop, promote, and assist in coordinated and comprehensive planning in the state, to assist local governments to participate in an orderly process for coordinated and comprehensive planning, to assist local governments to prepare and implement comprehensive plans which will develop and promote the essential interests of the state and its citizens, and to prepare and implement regional plans which will develop and promote the essential public interests of the state and its citizens."

Programs Offered

The HGARDC carries out its basic mission to provide professional advice and assistance to its member governments in the areas of comprehensive planning, community and economic development, historic preservation, local government administration and management, and aging services.

Comprehensive Planning

Community and Economic Development

Historic Preservation

Local Government Administration and Management

Aging Services

This page last updated June 1, 1998.

Please e-mail comments to: michael_rivera@hotmail.com.

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